Outboard motor mounting



Sept. 27, 1949. M. J. STURTEVANT 2,483,249

OUTBOARD MOTOR MOUNTING v *3 Filed Dec. s, 1946 FiG.7

I N VEN TOR.

I3 MARK J. STURTEVANT F'G. 6 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 27, 1949 OUTBOARD MOTOR MOUNTING Mark J. Sturtevant, Akron, Ohio, assignor to Wingfoot Corporation, Akron, Ohio,

tion of Delaware a corpora.-

ApplicationDecember 3, 1946, Serial No. 713,782

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a novel means for demountably supporting an outboard motor on inflatable rubberized fabric boats, pontoons, rafts, and the like. 7

It is an object of the present invention to provide a means of attachment for an outboard motor on an inflatable rubberized fabric boat.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an outboard motor mounting which is simple in construction, easily installed, and can be readily manufactured at a low cost.

Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings proceeds. V

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of .one form of inflatable rubberized fabric boat with. which the novel form of outboard motor mounting of the present invention is advantageously employed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the mounting at a somewhat larger scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 illustrate patterns for the fabric pocket forming part of the mounting structure of the present invention.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings is shown an inflatable rubberized fabric boat identified generally by the reference character I and embodying at least one inflatable endless tube defining the outer perimeter of the boat structure. In the illustrated boat I, a pair of substantially superposed inflatable tubes 2 and 3 have been employed to form cooperating upper and lower rails. The outboard motor mounting represented generally by the reference numeral t is applied to the boat l adjacent th stern portion thereof for supporting in readily demountable relation any suitable form of portabie outboard motor capable of generating the necessary power to maneuver the boat.

The outboard motor mounting 4 comprises a pocket 5 secured to the lowermost or bottom rail 3 of the boat I, a mounting panel member 6, and suitable fastening means 7 for attachment of the panel member to the top or uppermost rail 2 of the boat I. The pocket 5 may be formed in any suitable fashion for attachment to the lower rail 3 of the boat I, that shown being simply one of the more advantageous forms of such a pocket structure. In the same way, any suitable form .of fastening means 1 may be employed which will enable the outboard motor mounting 4 to be disassembled from the inflatable fabric boat I should 55 it be desired to remove the motor or any of its associated mounting parts.

The pocket 5 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings is advantageously constructed of rubberized fabric material similar to that employed in the manufacture of the inflatable tubes 2 and 3 forming the boat structure I. A fabric piece 8 cut over the pattern illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings and embodying a pair of projecting portions 9, as well as a pair of flaps H3, is adapted to be secured to the outer surface of the bottom rail 3 of the boat I adjacent the stern portion thereof in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 to be described hereinafter. The flaps It] in the assembly of the pocket 5 are employed to overlap the outermost margins .of thepanel member 6 ad'- jacent the lowermost end thereof. A pair of male 'members or studs H are mounted on the panel member 6 toreceive the female fasteners I2 affixed to the flaps lll'when' the parts are assembled together.

'A' fabric piece l3 cut as illustrated in Fig. 6 serves as an outer base reinforcement for the pocket formed by the fabric piece 8. The fabric piece I3 is applied'and cemented in place so as to overlay the lowermost portion of a fabric piece l4 cut as illustrated in Fig. 5 and forming a back wall reinforcement for the panel member 8. A pair of tapes l5, one of which is folded back upon itself and inserted between the fabric piece 8 and the back wall reinforcement fabric 13, while the other is applied directly between the back wall reinforcement and the reinforcement piece I3 adjacent the base of the pocket 5. All of the parts as they are assembled are securely cemented together by the use of any suitable bonding agent, such as rubber cement and the like, which is capable of vulcanization to insure a positive bond between the several elements of the finished pocket 5. Y

The panel member 6 which may be formed of any suitable material such, for example, as solid wood, plywood, laminated fabrics or plastics, and the like is provided with a stiffener member It also of wood or other suitable material extending laterally .of the uppermost portion thereof and secured thereto in any suitable fashion. A pair of metal loops I! are secured to the stiffener member [6 adjacent the outermost margins of the panel member 6. The fastenings i embody a pair of webbing straps l8 which are passed through the loops I1 and secured in place thereon by means of a stitching operation. The straps [8 are provided with metal snaps I9 at the other extremity thereof for demountable attachment to 3 D-rings 28 secured as by means of the patches 2! to the uppermost surface of the top rail 2 of the boat I.

It will be understood that in the assembly of the outboard motor mounting upon the boat structure I, the panel member s is first inserted in the pocket 5. The projecting portions 9 of the fabric piece 8 have holes therein which register with the studs I I on the panel member 5. The flaps it are then brought around the outermost margins of the panel member so as to .overlap the projecting portions 9. The female fasteners l2 are then attached to the studs 1 I, thereby holding the panel member 6 securely in place in" contact with the bottom rail 3 of the boat. The webbing straps 13 are then extended so as to permit the snaps l9 to be engaged with the D-rings Won the top rail 2 of the boat. The outboard motor mounting Q is now ready for the installation of the outboard motor which is secured to the upper portion of A the panel member 8 so as to engage the stiffener it thereon.

It will be readily understood that various modifications may be made in the structure hereinabove described without in any Way departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is, for example, immaterial whether the disengageable fasteners l9 are placed on the opposite end of the webbing straps from that previously indicated or whether they are plied to both ends of the webbing strap. The pocket 5 may additionally take any other suitable form provided that it insures a secure fastening for the lowermost end of the panel member 6 with respect to the stern portion of the bottom rail member 3 of the boat 1.

While in accordance with the patent statutes one best known embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby, but that the inventive scope is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an inflatable rubberized fabric boat and the like embodying a pair of substantially superposed inflatable tubes, an outboard motor mounting comprising a panel member; a pocket formed on one of said tubes for the reception of one end of the panel member; and means on the other of 4 said tubes for disengageable connection with the other end of the panel member.

2. In an inflatable rubberized fabric boat and the like embodying a pair of substantially superposed inflatable tubes, an outboard motor mounting comprising a panel member; a pocket formed on the lowermost tube for the reception of one end of the-panel member; means in said pocket for disengageably securing the panel member in place therein; and strap means for disengageably connecting the panel member to the uppermost tube.

3. In an inflatable rubberized fabric boat and the like having a pair of substantially superposed inflatable tubes forming the outermost perimeter thereof, an outboard motor mounting comprising a fabric pocketv secured adjacent the stern portion of the lowermost tube; a panel member, one end of which is fitted into the pocket; detachable fastening means in said pocket for securing the panel member in place therein with a portion projecting therefrom; strap means secured to the projecting portion of the panel member; and means on the uppermost tube for disengageable attachment of the strap means.

4. In an inflatable rubberized fabric boat and the like having a plurality of substantially superposed inflatable tubes defining the outer perimeter thereof, an outboard motor mounting comprising a mounting panel; pocket means supported by one of the tubes for the reception of an end of the panel; detachable fastening means on the pocket means to secure the panel in place in the pocket means; and means providing a disengageable connection between the other end of the panel and another of the tubes.

MARK J. S'IUR'IEVANT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,150,420 Cooper Mar. 14, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 304.563 Great Britain Jan. 24 1929 

